1.CBS's Reid, an Ex-Biden Adviser, Touts Hagel's Blast at Palin
CBS News reporter Chip Reid, who was general counsel in 1987 for Joe Biden's short presidential run, on Thursday night, unlike his colleagues on ABC and NBC, highlighted how Republican Senator Chuck Hagel denigrated the qualifications of Biden's VP competitor, Sarah Palin. Reid concluded his CBS Evening News story by noting how "Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican, says it's a 'stretch' to say 'Sarah Palin is qualified to be President,'" and, with matching text on screen, Reid read how Hagel told the Omaha World-Herald: "You get a passport for the first time in your life last year?" Reid did at least acknowledge that "Hagel has split with his party on a number of issues" (and, though Reid didn't get specific, traveled with Obama to the Middle East in August), but Reid saw Hagel as emblematic of wider concern, asserting "he's one of a number of prominent Republicans who have questioned whether Palin has enough experience in foreign policy."

2.NBC's Vieira Hammers Bill Bennett on Palin's 'Trustworthiness'
Meredith Vieira, apparently believing NBC News caught Sarah Palin in some credibility-destroying gaffes, on Thursday's Today show questioned Bill Bennett about Palin's "trustworthiness." Vieira, reciting charges made in a story from Savannah Guthrie which also aired on Wednesday night's NBC Nightly News, hit Bennett on relatively trivial matters about Palin's record, such as whether or not she had crossed the Iraqi/Kuwaiti border or if her plane had stopped in Ireland. When Bennett insisted "I think this is pretty small beer, really, pretty small stuff. She was in Kuwait, did she step foot in Iraq? Maybe, maybe not. Was she in Ireland? Yeah because the plane landed in Ireland. This is not big stuff," Vieira was incredulous: "How is that small stuff? How, how is that small stuff?"

3.ABC's Snow to Biden: Why Aren't You 'Further Ahead in the Polls'?
Good Morning America reporter Kate Snow on Thursday nervously quizzed Senator Joe Biden as to why the Democratic presidential ticket isn't further ahead. In contrast, co-host Diane Sawyer grilled John McCain on abortion and overturning Roe V. Wade when he appeared on Wednesday's program. Snow skipped that particular issue while talking to Biden. Instead, she fussed: "He [Barack Obama] was with a bunch of Democrats and he was with Barbra Streisand, a whole bunch of Hollywood stars. And he said, 'There are a lot of Democrats who come up to me and say they're nervous that we're not doing better, that were not further ahead in the polls.' Are you nervous about that?" So, Snow worried both about the chances of the Democratic ticket and simultaneously avoided a tough question. One might have asked Biden if, considering the tough economic times, it was such a good idea to spend the evening with rich Hollywood celebrities.

4.NYT: Obama Support High in 'Better Educated & More Diverse' Areas
On Thursday, the New York Times filed another piece cheering Barack Obama for making inroads in a traditionally Republican state. In "Both Parties Set Sights on Virginia in November," reporter Ian Urbina maintained: "Support for Mr. Obama is much stronger in the northeastern section of the state, especially in places like Fairfax County, near Washington, whose population is younger, wealthier, better educated and more diverse."

6.On NBC, CNBC's Liesman Raises 'Banana Republic' Spectre
Comparisons to the current Wall Street financial situation to the Great Depression have not been unusual in the media, but Thursday's NBC Nightly News went a step further into inducing panic. Delivering a healthy dose of hyperbole, Steve Liesman of CNBC prompted a "wow" from anchor Brian Williams when he raised the spectre that the credit troubles could lead, "some" would say, to the "U.S. becoming a banana republic" while those in favor of federal action to take over bad debt "would say by losing our banking system, and maybe even Wall Street the way we're going, we would be that much closer to being a banana republic."

CBS News reporter Chip Reid, who was general counsel in 1987 for Joe Biden's short presidential run, on Thursday night, unlike his colleagues on ABC and NBC, highlighted how Republican Senator Chuck Hagel denigrated the qualifications of Biden's VP competitor, Sarah Palin. Reid concluded his CBS Evening News story by noting how "Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican, says it's a 'stretch' to say 'Sarah Palin is qualified to be President,'" and, with matching text on screen, Reid read how Hagel told the Omaha World-Herald: "You get a passport for the first time in your life last year?"

Reid did at least acknowledge that "Hagel has split with his party on a number of issues" (and, though Reid didn't get specific, traveled with Obama to the Middle East in August), but Reid saw Hagel as emblematic of wider concern, asserting "he's one of a number of prominent Republicans who have questioned whether Palin has enough experience in foreign policy."

Reid jumped to CBS News last year after about eleven years with MSNBC and NBC. A "Revolving Door" item in the MRC's MediaWatch newsletter of October 1996, which I was reminded of recently by the MRC's Tim Graham, reported on some hires for the then-new MSNBC cable channel: "Chip Reid, hired to cover the White House and Capitol Hill, was general counsel in 1987 for Democrat Joe Biden's unsuccessful presidential run. For the previous four years Reid had been chief investigator for the Senate Judiciary Committee's Democratic Senators [Biden amongst them]. After Biden, Reid accepted a producer slot with ABC News and was a reporter for Washington, D.C.'s ABC affiliate, WJLA, when tapped by MSNBC."

The CBSNews.com bio of Reid skips over his direct Biden connection: "Chip practiced law, first as Counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (1982-86) and then as a litigation and lobbying specialist at a major Washington, D.C. law firm (1986-88)." See: www.cbsnews.com

Reid's conclusion to his Thursday night story:

"Meanwhile, Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican, says it's a 'stretch' to say 'Sarah Palin is qualified to be President,' asking, quote: 'You get a passport for the first time in your life last year?' Hagel has split with his party on a number of issues. Still, he's one of a number of prominent Republicans who have questioned whether Palin has enough experience in foreign policy. Chip Reid, CBS News, Green Bay, Wisconsin."

Meredith Vieira, apparently believing NBC News caught Sarah Palin in some credibility-destroying gaffes, on Thursday's Today show questioned Bill Bennett about Palin's "trustworthiness." Vieira, reciting charges made in a story from Savannah Guthrie which also aired on Wednesday night's NBC Nightly News, hit Bennett on relatively trivial matters about Palin's record, such as whether or not she had crossed the Iraqi/Kuwaiti border or if her plane had stopped in Ireland.

When Bennett insisted "I think this is pretty small beer, really, pretty small stuff. She was in Kuwait, did she step foot in Iraq? Maybe, maybe not. Was she in Ireland? Yeah because the plane landed in Ireland. This is not big stuff," Vieira was incredulous: "How is that small stuff? How, how is that small stuff?"

For the September 18 CyberAlert item, "NBC's 'Fact Check' on Palin's False Claims Not So Damning," go to: www.mrc.org

MEREDITH VIEIRA: Hey, listen, you have referred to Sarah Palin as an extremely strong candidate, even electrifying. You've called her electrifying. But what about her credibility? You just heard this report, she claimed her state produced 20 percent of the energy in this country. Not true. Her campaign aides say she had visited Iraq. Not true. And then there's that Bridge to Nowhere that she did support before, she said she was against it. McCain has come out against Obama in terms of his trustworthiness, but what about her trustworthiness?

BILL BENNETT: I think this is pretty small beer, really, pretty small stuff. She was in Kuwait, did she step foot in Iraq? Maybe, maybe not. Was she in Ireland? Yeah because the plane landed in Ireland. This is not big stuff. But look- VIEIRA: How is that small stuff? How, how is that small stuff because she's- BENNETT: Well 'cause, 'cause, 'cause it is small stuff. VIEIRA: -defending her foreign policy credentials. She said, "Look I've been there, I've been in Iraq." BENNETT: Because it, because it is, because it is small stuff.

The following is a complete transcript of the Today show interview, as it was aired after the recycled Savannah Guthrie report from NBC Nightly News that questioned Palin's veracity:

MEREDITH VIEIRA: Bill Bennett is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and a McCain supporter, he was also Secretary of Education under President Reagan. Mr. Bennett, good morning to you, sir. BILL BENNETT: Hey Meredith. VIEIRA: Hey, listen, you have referred to Sarah Palin as an extremely strong candidate, even electrifying. You've called her electrifying. But what about her credibility? You just heard this report, she claimed her state produced 20 percent of the energy in this country. Not true. Her campaign aides say she had visited Iraq. Not true. And then there's that Bridge to Nowhere that she did support before, she said she was against it. McCain has come out against Obama in terms of his trustworthiness, but what about her trustworthiness? BENNETT: I think this is pretty small beer, really, pretty small stuff. She was in Kuwait, did she step foot in Iraq? Maybe, maybe not. Was she in Ireland? Yeah because the plane landed in Ireland. This is not big stuff. But look- VIEIRA: How is that small stuff? How, how is that small stuff because she's- BENNETT: Well 'cause, 'cause, 'cause it is small stuff. VIEIRA: -defending her foreign policy credentials. She said, "Look I've been there, I've been in Iraq." BENNETT: Because it, because it is, because it is small stuff. These are, these are very tiny things compared to decisions made in office. This is a woman who has taken on the Republican establishment, taken on the Republican governor. She is extremely popular in the state of Alaska. That matters, too. Let's just compare her record and look at everything, that's perfectly fine, with Joe Biden's record. When you talk about Joe Biden, he was opposed to the first Gulf War, was that a good decision? He was opposed to the surge. He said it would be a catastrophe and a total failure. Those are much more consequential issues than what we are talking about in the [inaudible] report. VIEIRA: When you hear from several of the, when you hear from several of the conservative voices, David Brooks and George Will among them, they are questioning her credentials. They wonder if she is really qualified to be Vice President. What are you hearing from other people within the Republican Party? BENNETT: Well, they are intellectuals and, you know, sometimes people listen to intellectuals and sometimes they don't. She remains extremely popular, Meredith. I saw an interview with her last night. She was very persuasive. We will have the debate between the all-experienced Joe Biden and the supposedly inexperienced, but not true, Sarah Palin. And we will sort, we will sort a lot of this out. I will tell you- VIEIRA: Why do you use the word- BENNETT: -20 years experience can mean learning and growing and really figuring things out or it can mean making the same mistakes over and over- VIEIRA: Mr. Bennett, why do you use the word "intellectual" it almost sounds like you are using it as a buzz word for elite? BENNETT: Well, they are elites. I mean there, George, George Will, I don't think would balk at being called an intellectual nor would David Brooks. And they have had- VIEIRA: Does that make their concerns less valid? BENNETT: Sorry? VIEIRA: Does make their concerns- BENNETT: No it, no, hey, I'm one myself. I got a PhD. But what it doesn't mean is that everybody has to, has to fall in line. And most Americans, most people call my radio show, most conservatives, I should say, and most Republicans are thrilled with Sarah Palin. And the more we see, such as in this interview last night, the more pleased people are. I know that she has a higher approval rating than Joe Biden in the latest CBS/New York Times poll. That's pretty interesting. VIEIRA: Mr. Bennett, let's talk about the economy, I want to switch gears here. Voters want to know obviously where the candidates stand, that is the number one issue right now, which is why Senator McCain's comments over the past few days have a lot of people scratching their heads. First he says the fundamentals of the economy are essentially strong then he says, he modifies that, says that we are in a crisis. Talks about beefing up Wall Street regulation, when last March he told the Wall Street Journal that he's always for less regulation. And yesterday he changed his mind about bailing out AIG. First he said he was opposed to it, then he said, "No I am not." So where does he stand? Can you find a clear economic message in what he's saying? BENNETT: I think one is best not being ideological in these circumstances. By the way, let me explain. I'm not a surrogate for the McCain campaign. I'm an independent intellectual Meredith. It's best, as Larry Summers said, to be pragmatic. In general, I think, John McCain certainly has been a deregulator, as I, as I would be, but in this circumstance, we're gonna look at AIG. I think what Summers said is right, and I think what Paulson did was right. And notice the caution that a lot of people on all sides are, are exercising here. This, we've had an earthquake, we've had an explosion, we don't know where all the rubble is gonna settle. And so I think one needs to be very cautious in terms of making judgments. But the argument that AIG had such tentacles, such reach to so many places, so many operations so, many parts of the world, that you couldn't allow it to fail would cause, I think, even a principled, generally principled deregulator to take, to take a second look. VIEIRA: So on, so on- BENNETT: What I find, what I, yeah? Sorry. VIEIRA: So on that one you scratched your head. BENNETT: I'm sorry? VIEIRA: So on that one, you scratched your head about Senator McCain's approach to AIG? BENNETT: No I, no, no. I think it's the exactly right decision because this is not an ideological commitment to deregulation. In general you say, "You know let these companies operate on their own, but you step in when necessary." And I think the AIG, the AIG case is one of the cases where it is necessary. The amazing thing to me is that- VIEIRA: Alright Bill we, I gotta, I gotta wrap it up here. BENNETT: Yeah okay, sure. VIEIRA: I apologize. So much to talk about and I'm sure we'll have you on again. BENNETT: You bet! VIEIRA: Always generous with your time Bill Bennett. BENNETT: Thank you. VIEIRA: Thanks very much.

Good Morning America reporter Kate Snow on Thursday nervously quizzed Senator Joe Biden as to why the Democratic presidential ticket isn't further ahead. In contrast, co-host Diane Sawyer grilled John McCain on abortion and overturning Roe V. Wade when he appeared on Wednesday's program. See the September 18 for more: www.mrc.org

Snow skipped that particular issue while talking to Biden.

Instead, she fussed: "He [Barack Obama] was with a bunch of Democrats and he was with Barbra Streisand, a whole bunch of Hollywood stars. And he said, 'There are a lot of Democrats who come up to me and say they're nervous that we're not doing better, that were not further ahead in the polls.' Are you nervous about that?" So, Snow worried both about the chances of the Democratic ticket and simultaneously avoided a tough question. One might have asked Biden if, considering the tough economic times, it was such a good idea to spend the evening with rich Hollywood celebrities.

After Biden asserted he wasn't at all worried, Snow fretted: "But, if that's true, then why aren't you way ahead right now?" The ABC reporter also allowed strong claims to go by unquestioned. When Snow pointed out that Americans making $250,000 would pay more in taxes if Obama is elected, Biden asserted that such a thing would be patriotic: "It's time to be patriotic, Kate. Time to jump in. Time to be part of the deal. Time to help get America out of the rut." Shouldn't such a comment invite a follow-up question or at least a clarification?

Snow's question seems remarkably similar to Charles Gibson in 2000. On November 6, 2000, the then-GMA host asked Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore: "Why is this election so close?...We have full employment in the United States, we have unparalleled prosperity in terms of wealth created, we have low interest rates, we have low inflation, we have few perils to our nation overseas. So you were dealt a very strong hand coming into this election, and yet it's still close. Why?" See the November 13, 2000 NQ: www.mrc.org

Another issue that Snow didn't bring up is the supposedly nasty tone of the race. However, on Wednesday, co-host Robin Roberts complained to John McCain: "But it has gotten very personal this particular time around, the campaign, on both sides...Why does it have to -- how does it serve anybody when it becomes so bitter?" In fairness, GMA news anchor Chris Cuomo did challenge Barack Obama on Monday, questioning his new ad that seemed to hit McCain for being too old. (All of the campaign '08 interviews on GMA this week took place as part of the program's train trip across America.)

A transcript of the September 18 segment, which aired at 7:15am:

ROBIN ROBERTS: As you were saying, Diane, with the economy becoming such a critical point of this campaign, we decided to sit down with vice presidential candidate Joe Biden. And GMA weekend anchor, Kate Snow, traveled to Ohio to talk with Biden. KATE SNOW: On Tuesday, you said that AIG should not be bailed out by the federal government. Do you feel that way? Do you feel it was the wrong move for the Fed to jump in? SENATOR JOE BIDEN: It's hard to second-guess. I haven't spoken to the secretary. There's no good answer because of the spot the policies of the last eight years have put us in. And, so, it's hard to judge that from my spot right here. SNOW: We're on this train trip, as you know. BIDEN: Yeah. SNOW: And we're talking to people, through every state that we're visiting. And there's some common themes. And I know you've heard this. But they all say they want to know what you're going to do specifically- BIDEN: Exactly. Exactly. SNOW: -about the money they've just lost in the stock market. BIDEN: That's right. SNOW: About their 401K. About the pension plan. What do you say to those- BIDEN: I can tell you- That's a long list, let me just start off. We're going to create jobs. We're going to create jobs. This isn't pie in the sky. $2 million jobs if we invest the $70 million a year we want to invest in infrastructure. New broadband capability. The ability for America to move into the 21st century. By the way, look, the fundamental difference between us is, between- there's clear choices in this election. And John's a good guy. And Barack's a good guy. And everybody's a good guy. Fundamental philosophy difference. Take a look. We want to take money and put it back in the pocket of middle-class people. SNOW: Anybody making over $250,000 is going to pay more. BIDEN: Is going to pay more. You got it. It's time to be patriotic, Kate. Time to jump in. Time to be part of the deal. Time to help get America out of the rut. And the way to do that is, they're still going to pay less taxes than they paid under Reagan. SNOW: Tuesday night in Hollywood, Senator Obama referenced nervousness Democrats. He was with a bunch of Democrats and he was with Barbra Streisand, a whole bunch of Hollywood stars. And he said, 'There are a lot of Democrats who come up to me and say they're nervous that we're not doing better, that were not further ahead in the polls.' Are you nervous about that? BIDEN: Not at all. Look, when 82 percent of the American people think the country's going in the wrong direction, when the same outfit's been in charge for the last eight years, when you're in a position where you have Wall Street crumbling before our eyes and hope to God we can prop it up to keep it from spreading to Main Street, like a plague, the idea they're going to re-elect somebody that doesn't have a fundamental disagreement with George W. Bush on the economy, taxes, health care, et cetera, I'm not nervous at all. SNOW: But, if that's true, then why aren't you way ahead right now? BIDEN: Well, I'll tell you why. Because, people haven't made up their minds yet. This is the most important election that anyone's voted in, unless you're over 100 years old. And what they're doing, they want to do it right, Kate. Here's what I think, to be straight about it- I get in trouble for doing this. But let me be straight with you. They believe in the change we want. They just don't know whether we can accomplish it. McCain's not going to do any real change. But, you know, Biden and Obama want to. But can they do it? Will they have the nerve to do it? That's the real question. And they're going to make up their mind about that, about us, between now and election day. You take that train ride October the 19th, October 30th, there will be a different, a different electorate.

On Thursday, the New York Times filed another piece cheering Barack Obama for making inroads in a traditionally Republican state. In "Both Parties Set Sights on Virginia in November," reporter Ian Urbina maintained: "Support for Mr. Obama is much stronger in the northeastern section of the state, especially in places like Fairfax County, near Washington, whose population is younger, wealthier, better educated and more diverse."

Back on August 17, the state was North Carolina, and Obama's quest was greeted in the Times with an optimistic story headlined "Obama Backers Mobilize in Bid to Wrest State From Republican Grip." The Times hasn't followed up on North Carolina, perhaps because cumulative polling data show John McCain with a nine-point lead there (the August story quoted an average lead of four points in the polls).

In an unguarded moment in Thursday's piece, Urbina threw in a dash of liberal elitism while describing Obama's Virginia supporters in flattering terms. It's a reverse echo of the Washington Post's notorious "poor, uneducated, and easy to command" 1993 insult of Virginia-based televangelists Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson's conservative followers, in a paragraph on the state's voter demographics:

Mr. McCain is expected to draw strong support from the more rural and southwest areas of the state, particularly among white working-class men, in a region that Mr. Obama lost in his otherwise resounding victory in the Feb. 12 primary, Professor Sabato said.

Support for Mr. Obama is much stronger in the northeastern section of the state, especially in places like Fairfax County, near Washington, whose population is younger, wealthier, better educated and more diverse.

Hampton Roads is more contested and tougher to predict, because it is home to core constituencies for both parties.

The region has, for example, the world's largest United States Navy base, the Norfolk Naval Station (Mr. McCain was a Navy pilot), more than 50,000 veterans and more than 500,000 people who work for the military. In 2004, President Bush won those who had served in the military by 57 percent to Senator John Kerry's 41 percent.

But more than 20 percent of Hampton Roads's population is African-American, a group that has largely backed Mr. Obama.

Thursday night's edition of E!'s risque, celebrity gossip driven Chelsea Lately half-hour variety and talk show opened with a skit of host Chelsea Handler as a "dodgeball addict" pelting balls at her helpless staff members. Throughout the four-minute skit, Handler delivered a product placement for Hollywood's presidential favorite as she wore a white shirt emblazoned with "Obama 08."

Handler is author of the book, 'My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands.' Barnes and Noble's page: search.barnesandnoble.com

[This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted late Thursday night, with a screen shot, on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

E Online's description of the show, produced in Los Angeles, which runs at 11:30 PM and again at 2:30 AM EDT: "E!'s late-night half-hour sensation Chelsea Lately features quick-witted commentary and a refreshing pop-culture perspective from comedian, TV personality and author Chelsea Handler." See: www.eonline.com

Comparisons to the current Wall Street financial situation to the Great Depression have not been unusual in the media, but Thursday's NBC Nightly News went a step further into inducing panic. Delivering a healthy dose of hyperbole, Steve Liesman of CNBC prompted a "wow" from anchor Brian Williams when he raised the spectre that the credit troubles could lead, "some" would say, to the "U.S. becoming a banana republic" while those in favor of federal action to take over bad debt "would say by losing our banking system, and maybe even Wall Street the way we're going, we would be that much closer to being a banana republic."

Leisman's warning: "I think there are some people who would say that this is, creates a danger, taking on all this bad debt of the U.S. becoming a banana republic. I think those, the proponents of this plan would say by losing our banking system, and maybe even Wall Street the way we're going, we would be that much closer to being a banana republic."

BRIAN WILLIAMS: This is a genuinely scary time and we don't know how or when it's going to end. Carl Quintanilla, thanks again tonight. And for more on this we're joined by CNBC's senior economics reporter, Steve Liesman. He joins us from their headquarters tonight. Steve, they're meeting tonight, yes this thing we think developed today, what does this amount to? STEVE LIESMAN: Brian, I think what it will amount to is some sort of vehicle where they will carve off the bad assets of the banks, put them into something that is ultimately going to be taxpayer financed and the idea is just to give these things some time so they don't have to be fire-saled out into the economy right now. And the idea being over a period of time, maybe the losses won't equal those which are being taken right now by Wall Street. Brian, I think there are some people who would say that this is, creates a danger, taking on all this bad debt of the U.S. becoming a banana republic. I think those, the proponents of this plan would say by losing our banking system, and maybe even Wall Street the way we're going, we would be that much closer to being a banana republic. Brian? WILLIAMS: Wow, as we say, this is a jittery time and we don't know how it ends. Steve Liesman, thank you, again, for your expertise.

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